Why would the City of Bellingham voluntarily make our housing crisis worse?
The Comprehensive Plan: Growth from 2025-2045
| Historically Bellingham takes | 49% of Whatcom’s new residents |
| The State is recommending Bellingham take | 49% of Whatcom’s new residents |
| The City is choosing to take | 60% of Whatcom’s new residents |
In 2023, the City Council declared an affordable housing crisis.
Expensive housing is caused by a shortage of homes that each income level can afford.
The solution is to build housing for each income level.
Question, if housing is in crisis for current residents to find affordable housing, why would you intentionally add new residents who need even more housing?
“… it is unlikely that available resources will provide enough subsidy to balance supply (grey) with the projected need in the near future (orange).” – Staff Presentation to Planning Commission re: 0-50% AMI – Sept 18, 2025
Answer: The City seems to be focusing on creating market rate supplied housing. This type of housing is profitable to build, but is not affordable for the majority of Bellingham residents. New residents will continue to create demand for housing that lines the pockets of real estate.
Solution: Continue to build, but use the tools at the disposal of the city such as financial incentives, that cost the tax payer nothing, but creates affordable housing for our workforce that cannot afford to live in Bellingham without help.
